S1 switch - 250K or 500K ?

rlw · September 2023

Vintage Noiseless pickups all pre-wired but what do I need if I fit an S1 switch?

Ta

rlw · September 2023

Replace like with like - got it.

ICBM · September 2023

rlw said:

Vintage Noiseless pickups all pre-wired but what do I need if I fit an S1 switch?

Another S1 switch. And later, another one…

Funkfingers · September 2023

Stratocaster should be 250k.

S-1 should be expected to fail catastrophically at precisely the least convenient moment.

rlw · September 2023

Home use only so reliability isn’t an issue but I’ve not had one break before

Dave_Mc · September 2023

Funkfingers said:

Stratocaster should be 250k.

S-1 should be expected to fail catastrophically at precisely the least convenient moment.

To be fair, mine failed at a not-particularly-inconvenient moment...

Funkfingers · September 2023

rlw said:

Home use only so reliability isn’t an issue but I’ve not had one break before

STUCK RECORD TIME AGAIN
Most of the classic choices of pot, jack and switch associated with American electric guitars manufactured since WWII were military surplus, sold off cheaply.

These CRL, CTS and Switchcraft components had been thoroughly proven under combat conditions. That meant that they had half a chance of withstanding the abuse meted out by Rock musicians.

The Fender S-1 switch does not have this pedigree but it still takes a beating under stage conditions. The innards stop shifting between the two positions, leaving one stuck in one mode or the other, denied access to the other selectable options.

The schematic diagrams for working on the S-1 switch aren't much fun. The HSS variant is different to the SSS. The diagram itself is a monochrome line drawing. Like an old London Underground map, it used different stripe patterns to differentiate between colour coded wire insulation.

The contacts on the S-1 switch lie very close together. It is necessary to make the connections in the correct order so that nothing gets in the way of a later soldering action.

The Freeway 3X3-03 is a pain to suss out and solder up but, at least, once the circuit is completed, it continues to work in the long term.

ICBM · September 2023

I do understand the logic in using very complex wiring schemes using non-standard components in order to make a simple user experience, but... actually the various uses Fender make of the S1 are usually neither of these things. They give complicated and mostly difficult to understand switching options which don't give very useful sonic results, with the added bonus of random failure and impossibility of replacement with a different (more reliable) switch.

The exception would be something like the series/parallel wiring on the Telecasters with the S1, but they're perfectly possible with a standard push-pull DPDT, or a 4-way pickup selector.

Just don't bother. It's less trouble in the long run.

rlw · September 2023

Thanks for all the comments, all gratefully received.

I like the options of bridge and neck or all three together ona Strat and have had it on several (all now gone).

The S1 switch is such an easy way to achieve these that it seems worth the potential grief in future. And I'm not on stage every night, in fact sometimes I don't get a chance to touch a guitar for days, so I'm happy to trade convenience for long term relaibility.

ICBM · September 2023

If you literally just want it to switch the bridge or neck pickup on to give bridge+neck, you could actually wire all four poles of the S1 in parallel, which would probably eliminate electrical failure as a problem and leave just the switching mechanism.

I still think a standard push-push pot is a better solution though - exactly the same functionality but with a more reliable switch.

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S1 switch - 250K or 500K ?

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